Ponte Vedra Beach, FL -- (Sports Network) - Spain's Sergio Garcia fired a six- under-par 66 on Thursday to take the first-round lead of The Players Championship.

Kenny Perry and Paul Goydos both shot rounds of four-under 68 to share second place at the Stadium Course at the TPC at Sawgrass.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson is certainly in the hunt to become the first player in tournament history to successfully defend his title. He posted a two-under 70 on Thursday, which is good for a tie for ninth place.

"I think that anything under par is a very good score," said Mickelson, who mixed five birdies and three bogeys on Thursday. "I feel as though I'm turning 66s into 70s and I'm going to have to fix that this weekend."

Mickelson and Garcia will have a better shot at claiming the title this weekend due to some high-profile absences.

Tiger Woods, who won The Players in 2001, is still recovering from knee surgery, but Masters champion Trevor Immelman, along with several others, withdrew on Thursday due to illness.

That left the door open for Garcia, whose best finish this season was a tie for 15th at the World Golf Championship - CA Championship.

Garcia began his opening round on the 10th tee, but first broke into red numbers at the par-five 11th. He hit a three-wood into a greenside bunker, then blasted out to three feet and cashed in on the birdie try.

At the 13th, Garcia hit a seven-iron to six feet and converted the birdie effort. The Spaniard made it two in a row with a 35-footer at No. 14, then two-putted from 18 feet for a birdie at the par-five 16th.

Garcia parred three holes around the turn, including the famed island green at 17. He took advantage of the next par five, the second. Garcia's five-wood second shot came up short, but he pitched to five feet and sank the birdie try.

Garcia's next birdie came at the par-four fifth. He hit a three-wood into the short grass and knocked a seven-iron six feet below the hole. Garcia made the birdie putt to reach six-under par for the championship.

Trouble loomed for the European Ryder Cup star. He three-putted the par-three eighth green en route to a bogey, but Garcia had one more bit of magic in him.

At the par-five ninth, Garcia hit three-wood off the tee, then once more from the fairway. The second three-wood landed in a pot bunker on the right. Garcia blasted out to five feet and holed the birdie putt for the first-round lead.

Garcia has now gone 67-66-66 in his last three rounds at the TPC at Sawgrass, including last year's runner-up finish to Mickelson.

"I did shoot 67 last year with the double on the last, so I guess, the last three rounds I played here, I played very nicely," said Garcia. "My whole game has been good."

His whole game has not been that good outside Sawgrass.

Garcia has not won on the PGA Tour since the 2005 Booz Allen Classic. He finished second here in 2007 and lost the playoff to Padraig Harrington at the British Open.

"It doesn't matter," said Garcia. "Even if I would have won last week, I would still be as motivated trying to win this week, so that doesn't change. I don't think it changes for any of us."

Most believe the thing that has held Garcia out of the winner's circle is his putting.

"That's not true," Garcia said, despite ranking 131st on tour in putting. "It's a lot of things involved. Of course, if you don't putt well, it doesn't help. I feel like I'm getting closer and closer; at least now I feel like I can do it and it just a matter of being able to do it."

Steve Elkington, a two-time Players Champion, Heath Slocum, Ian Poulter, Niclas Fasth and 2004 British Open winner Todd Hamilton are knotted in fourth at three-under 69.

Mickelson was joined in ninth by several players, including reigning U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera, two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal, Fred Couples, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Boo Weekley and last week's Wachovia Championship winner Anthony Kim.